Columbus Influencer, Others Plead Guilty in $30M+ Financial Fraud Schemes

Several financial fraud cases have come to light in Columbus, Ohio, involving significant losses and guilty pleas. Tyler Bossetti, a social media finance influencer, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aiding in false tax filings connected to a Ponzi scheme that defrauded investors of over $11 million, while he misused funds for luxury expenses including a condo, travel, and a Mercedes SUV. Bossetti's scheme involved falsely promising high returns on real estate investments through his company Boss Lifestyle LLC and issuing fraudulent tax forms. In a separate case, Drekian Dowdell pleaded guilty to identity fraud, theft by deception, and forgery in a multimillion-dollar card-cracking scheme, resulting in a four-year prison sentence followed by probation. Another investigation revealed that Michael Brammer, a former Ohio State employee, conspired with others to fraudulently sell university equipment as recyclable, receiving at least $650,000 in illicit cash payments; one co-conspirator also committed COVID-19 relief fraud. These cases highlight ongoing efforts by law enforcement to hold perpetrators accountable for complex financial crimes in the Columbus area.